Wellington, CO — Town of Wellington Municipal Utilities is excited to announce the introduction of the Equal Payment Program for Water Volume Usage Charges (EPP).
The program helps reduce the burden of high seasonal water charges by spreading the costs equally over 12 billing periods while still accurately accounting for the actual volume of water used. Participating residents get a predictable bill that’s the same each month — and avoid dealing with the wide disparity that often exists between winter and summer utility bills, when many Wellington residents use more water for irrigation.
The Town’s Board of Trustees heard from residents that they wanted stability in their Municipal Utility bills and worked with Town staff for several months to design, program, test, and implement this optional solution for residents.
“The Equal Payment Program is a valuable tool for dealing with the cost of water and the challenges that burden creates,” Wellington Mayor Calar Chaussee said. “While there are no easy solutions for such a complex issue, this program will help make utility bills more manageable for some of our residents.”
The EPP, which opens to eligible Wellington Municipal Utilities customers on July 1, calculates a participant’s historical yearly water volume usage charges and divides that amount, plus a small buffer, into 12 equal payments over a one-year period. The even monthly payments help minimize the impact of seasonal swings in billing for water consumption.
Payments are determined by combining a customer’s actual water volume usage charges for the 12 billing periods between April of the previous year and March of the current year, and any outstanding balances owed as of the March 31 billing period. That total is divided into 12 equal installments and adjusted slightly to align with any change in utility rates the Board of Trustees approved for the current year.
Any overpayment or underpayment is resolved each April, when installment payment amounts are re-calculated for EPP participants in what is known as a “true-up”. For customers continuing in the EPP, overpayments and underpayments will be factored into the next year’s installment payments. For customers exiting the EPP, underpayments will be reflected in full on the next bill and overpayments will result in a credit applied to that customer’s Municipal Utility account. New installment payments start in May each year.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this option to eligible households in Wellington,” Wellington Finance Director/Treasurer Nic Redavid said. “Predictable utility bills make it much easier for our residents to create a budget that’s reliable and sustainable. We encourage Municipal Utility customers who qualify to consider enrolling in the program.”
The EPP is available to residential customers who meet the following criteria:
- Own and live in their home (owner-occupied).
- Have a municipal utility account connection date on or before March 31, 2024.
- Have a minimum of 12 billing cycles of continuous water volume usage charges on an account.
EPP enrollment must be completed through the Town’s website by the Municipal Utility account holder. Allow one to two billing periods for eligible accounts to be enrolled in the program. Once enrolled, billing statements will reflect the calculated installment payment.
The EPP is not currently available to tenants renting their home, commercial/business accounts, or irrigation accounts. Enrollment is not available by phone or in-person.
More information about the EPP — including the link for enrollment, and additional terms and disclaimers — is available at www.wellingtoncolorado.gov/638/Equal-Payment-Program-for-Water-Volume-U. For questions about the EPP, contact the Utility Billing Coordinator at utilities@wellingtoncolorado.gov, (970) 568-3381 Opt. 2 , or visit the Town of Wellington’s Municipal Services Building at 8225 Third Street during normal business hours.